UTI Nifty 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

UTI Nifty 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan had a NAV of ₹165.0262 as of 09 Sep 2026 and manages ₹29,485 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are -4.92%, 6.74% and 7.19%, and the scheme sits in the High Risk category. Our view is that it suits investors who want broad Nifty 50 exposure and can tolerate periods of underperformance against the benchmark, especially over shorter windows.

The fund is a straightforward index option, with low-cost structure and a large portfolio that closely tracks the market. The recent return pattern has been uneven, but the longer-term record is steadier, so it is better viewed as a patient, benchmark-oriented holding than a short-term performance play.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹165.0262 as of 09 Sep 2026
AUM	₹29,485 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.17%
Launch Date	01 Jan 2013
Min SIP	₹500
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Index Funds
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Sharwan Kumar Goyal, Ayush Jain, Lokesh Kulthia

The fund is managed by Sharwan Kumar Goyal, Ayush Jain and Lokesh Kulthia.

Source data date: as of 09 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-4.67%	-4.69%
3M	1.49%	0.93%
1Y	-4.92%	-7.16%
3Y	6.74%	6%
5Y	7.19%	5.87%

The recent pattern is mixed rather than smooth. Over 1 month, the fund and benchmark were both weak, but the fund held up marginally better. Over 3 months, it recovered a little faster than the benchmark, which points to a modest edge in the latest phase of market movement.

The 1-year number is still negative, yet it is less weak than the benchmark, so the fund has protected capital slightly better over that stretch. That matters for an index fund because the main goal is not to beat the market in every window, but to stay close to it while keeping tracking differences contained.

The longer view is more constructive. The 3-year and 5-year returns are both positive and sit above the benchmark returns shown here, which suggests the fund has compounded in line with, and at times better than, the index over full market cycles. The move from a negative 1-year reading to positive multi-year returns also shows that the recent softness does not define the full record.

For investors, the main takeaway is that this fund looks calmer at medium and longer horizons than it does in the short term. It is not built for fast gains, but the historical pattern still supports its role as a core market-linked holding for investors who can remain invested through volatility.

Source data date: as of 09 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD UTI Nifty 50 Index?

A fund's past returns alone don't tell you whether you should buy it today or continue holding it.

The right decision depends on factors such as your current allocation, purchase price, risk profile, investment horizon and the role this fund plays in your overall portfolio.

Already holding UTI Nifty 50 Index? Thinking of investing now?

Get your portfolio analysed for FREE by SEBI-registered Investment Adviser (RIA) through Univest MF Premium

Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
UTI Nifty 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	-4.92%	6.74%	7.19%
ICICI Pru NASDAQ 100 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	33.08%	30.07%	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty India Defence Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	31.48%	Data not available	Data not available
Aditya Birla SL Nifty India Defence Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	31.48%	Data not available	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty Capital Market Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	24.6%	Data not available	Data not available
Tata Nifty Capital Markets Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	24.33%	Data not available	Data not available

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.

Against the peer set shown here, the fund’s 1-year return is much softer than the specialist thematic funds, though those funds are also operating in very different market segments. The important comparison for this scheme is the steadier multi-year pattern: its 3-year and 5-year returns are positive, while the peer list contains several funds with missing longer-horizon records, so the broad comparison is not one-to-one.

Where longer-horizon figures are available, the fund’s 3-year and 5-year numbers look more balanced than the very strong but concentrated short-term gains seen in some peers. That makes the case for this fund less about chasing recent momentum and more about holding a diversified benchmark-linked core through a full cycle.

Source data date: as of 09 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
Eq – HDFC Bank Limited	Bank	9.85%
Eq – ICICI Bank Ltd	Bank	9.45%
Eq – Reliance Industries Ltd.	Crude Oil	7.83%
Eq – Bharti Airtel Ltd.	Telecom	5%
Eq – Larsen & Toubro Ltd.	Infrastructure	4.3%
Eq – State Bank of India	Bank	3.98%
Eq – Infosys Ltd.	IT	3.61%
Eq – Axis Bank Ltd.	Bank	3.39%
Eq – Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.	Bank	2.8%
Eq – Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.	Automobile & Ancillaries	2.66%

The largest holding, HDFC Bank, is 9.85%, which is sizeable for a single position but still typical of a large-cap index structure. The tenth holding, Mahindra & Mahindra, is 2.66%, so the weight falls away fairly steadily from the top to the tenth name rather than dropping sharply after just a few stocks.

The displayed top 10 holdings together account for about 52.87% of the portfolio, which means just over half the scheme sits in these names while the rest is spread across a longer list. With 49 disclosed holdings in total, the fund may still offer broad market exposure even though the largest banks carry meaningful influence.

That mix suggests a portfolio where bank exposure is likely to matter in day-to-day performance, but not in a way that completely dominates the scheme. The structure looks relatively concentrated at the top and still diversified across the full basket, which is consistent with a benchmark-tracking index fund.

To see all holdings, visit the UTI Nifty 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan page

Source data date: as of 09 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund fits investors who are comfortable with equity-market swings and want Nifty 50 exposure through a benchmark-linked structure. The High Risk tag and the negative 1-year return show that short-term volatility can be uncomfortable, but the positive 3-year and 5-year figures indicate that patience has mattered.

Our view is that it is better suited to a medium- to long-term horizon, where the aim is to stay invested through cycles rather than to rely on a smooth monthly path. The main trade-off is simple: you get broad large-cap market participation and low-cost indexing, but you must accept periods when the fund trails near-term expectations or moves in line with a weak index.

Tax and exit load

Holding period	Tax rate	Description
Units held less than 1 year	20%	Short-term capital gains tax
Units held more than 1 year	12.5%	Long-term capital gains tax

Exit load: No exit load.

Source data date: as of 09 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of UTI Nifty 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹165.0262 as of 09 Sep 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?

The fund’s returns are -4.92% for 1 year, 6.74% for 3 years and 7.19% for 5 years.

How has the fund done versus the Nifty 50 benchmark?

It has outpaced the benchmark over 3 years and 5 years, and it was also less weak over 1 year. Over 1 month and 3 months, the difference versus the benchmark has been small.

Which peer funds show stronger short-term returns?

The peer list includes several thematic and overseas index funds with much stronger 1-year returns, including ICICI Pru NASDAQ 100 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan at 33.08% and Motilal Oswal Nifty India Defence Index Fund Direct Growth Plan at 31.48%. Their longer-horizon records are not equally available in every case.

What is the minimum SIP amount?

The minimum SIP amount is ₹500.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Sharwan Kumar Goyal, Ayush Jain and Lokesh Kulthia. There is no exit load.

Bottom line

The fund’s latest year has been weaker, but its 3-year and 5-year returns are positive and sit above the benchmark figures shown here. That gap between short-term softness and longer-term steadiness is important: it looks like a market-linked holding that can absorb volatility, not a smooth-return product. The top holdings are led by large banks, and the portfolio remains spread across 49 disclosed holdings, which supports its role as a broad large-cap index fund for investors with a patient horizon.

Published on 10 September 2026 at 4:21 PM IST

Explore mutual funds with Univest

Review mutual fund data, compare performance and explore fund insights on Univest.

Explore Univest

RIA disclosure

Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully before investing. This review is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. (earlier known as Uniapps Global Research Pvt. Ltd.) under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639 for general informational purposes and is not personalized investment advice.